Published date: 29 July 2024

Closed opportunity - This means that the contract is currently closed. The buying department may be considering suppliers that have already applied, or no suitable offers were made.


Closing: 18 September 2024, 12pm

Contract summary

Industry

  • Educational software development services - 72212190

Location of contract

North East, North West, Yorkshire and the Humber, East Midlands, West Midlands, East of England, London, South East, South West

Value of contract

£9,333,331

Procurement reference

tender_436405/1384410

Published date

29 July 2024

Closing date

18 September 2024

Closing time

12pm

Contract start date

1 October 2025

Contract end date

30 September 2029

Contract type

Service contract

Procedure type

Open procedure (above threshold)

Any interested supplier may submit a tender in response to an opportunity notice.

This procedure can be used for procurements above the relevant contract value threshold.

Contract is suitable for SMEs?

Yes

Contract is suitable for VCSEs?

Yes

Description

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has a legal requirement to secure the provision of education and training for prisoners and recognises that Education, Skills, and Work (ESW) play a significant role in reducing reoffending. A 2017 MoJ report shows that prisoners who participated in any form of learning activity were 9 percentage points less likely to reoffend compared to non-learners and 1.8 percentage points more likely to be in employment after release. MoJ is committed to delivering a transformed 'Prisoner Education Service' (PES) focused on work-based training and skills'.

The Prisoner Education Service (PES) programme is developing an innovative, integrated digital ecosystem that brings together a holistic prisoner view that informs planning, delivery and accountability. Effective Screening and Assessment (S&A) is at the core of this, ensuring that prisoner's education starting points and learning needs are identified from initial education induction, and inform their learner journey throughout their time in custody. This system should enable HMPPS to drive up standards, improve national consistency and outcomes across the estate, both in custody and in the community.

To enable and support HMPPS ambition and realise the strategic decision for national education screening, we are procuring digital S&A tools for the Prison Education Service contracts. The scope of this procurement includes screening tools for English, Mathematics, Digital Skills, Reading, and Additional Learning Needs (ALN). Due to the importance of having a 'human element' in assessing reading ability. , Reading assessments can be partly digital but must include interaction with assessment outcomes.

This tender is to procure three Tools, one for each of the following Lots:
Lot 1: English, Mathematics, and Digital Skills
Lot 2: Reading
Lot 3: Additional Learning Needs

The Tools must be compliant with the minimum viable product digital requirements as outlined in the specification in time for Service Commencement and must be capable of integrating with other services and sharing data using open standards.

The vision for the S&A Tools is to:
- Implement high-quality, accessible tools that accurately identify prisoner ability levels and indicate potential needs.
- Enable collaboration with the Authority and PES providers to ensure continuous improvement so that the S&A tools enable quality S&A delivery.
- Enable data reporting integration of the S&A tools into the Authority systems.
- Provide for the first time national consistent S&A tools across the PES estate to reduce duplication and improve data flow across the estate.
- Deliver the ambition for digital by default screening with contingencies to allow continued S&A delivery when access to digital tool/s is impacted.
- Ensure high quality S&A tool provider led training and ongoing support to PES core-education staff on the use of provider screening tools.
- Drive quality via output measured key performance indicators.

More information

Links

Additional text

Description of Lots

Lot 1 English, Mathematics, and Digital Services

Value excluding VAT: (estimated total maximum value for the entire duration of this lot):
£2,625,000.00.

The English and Mathematics element of the Tool would accurately assess Prisoner's current skills and ability under the following outcomes:

* Pre-entry level
* Entry level 1
* Entry level 2
* Entry level 3
* Level 1
* Level 2 or higher

And the Digital Skills element of the Tool would accurately assess Prisoners' current skills and abilities in line with National Standards and provide an assessment of the Prisoner's everyday digital literacy skills and functional digital skills

Lot 2 Reading

Value excluding VAT: (estimated total maximum value for the entire duration of this lot):
£2,625,000.00.

The tool will accurately identify gaps in a Prisoners' reading ability, covering comprehension, reading fluency and phonological awareness and would indicate a reading level/score and level of reading support required to progress their ability to read.

Reading assessments would include digital elements but must include interaction with and assessment outcomes determined by prison delivery staff.

Lot 3 Additional Learning Needs

Value excluding VAT: (estimated total maximum value for the entire duration of this lot):
£4,081,000.00

The ALN Tool must identify areas of potential ALN including:
* Communication and Interaction needs;
* Cognition and Learning needs;
* Social, Emotional and Mental Health difficulties; and
* Physical and/or Sensory Needs

Services are to be contracted for an initial term of Four (4) years with an option to extend by three (3) years to a maximum of seven (7( years.

Access to Tender documents is via the MoJ eSourcing portal Jaggaer.
If you are not already registered on the MoJ eSourcing Portal (Bravo) please use the link and follow the registration process: https://ministryofjusticecommercial.bravosolution.co.uk/web/login.html

About the buyer

Contact name

Ministry of Justice

Address

102 Petty France
London
SW1H 9AJ
England

Email

pes-screeningandassessment@justice.gov.uk

Website

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice